Any financial benefits should be frozen until the outcome of the investigation into the cover-up

Margaret Aspinall

Sir Norman, 56, resigned as West Yorkshire’s Chief Constable shortly before force bosses were due to meet to discuss his role in the disaster on April 15, 1989, that left 96 fans dead.

He announced his decision 24 hours after Shadow Cabinet member Maria Eagle, 51, told Parliament he had revealed a “plot to fit up the Liverpool fans” as he chatted weeks after the disaster.

She claimed he told a fellow evening class student: “We are trying to concoct a story that the Liverpool fans were drunk and we were afraid that they were going to break down the gates so we decided to open them.”

The Hillsborough Independent Panel’s recent report revealed that police had tried to defl ect blame for the tragedy away from themselves onto fans.

Nearly 1,500 past and serving South Yorkshire Police officers are to be investigated over the disaster. Sir Norman’s conduct is already being looked at by the Independent Police Complaints Commission.

Off-duty that day he went to the FA Cup semi-final between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest, and was later given the task of monitoring the public inquiry and inquests. Attorny General Dominic Grieve now wants those accidental death verdicts overturned for new inquests.

Sir Norman, who was due to retire next March, has denied Ms Eagle’s claim.

He said: “The suggestion that I would say to a passing acquaintance that I was deployed as part of a team tasked to ‘concoct a false story of what happened’ is both incredible and wrong.”

Margaret Aspinall, who lost her son James, 18, in the disaster and is chair of the Hillsborough Families Support Group, welcomed his resignation.

She said: “I’m delighted, but he should have been sacked. I would like to know what payments and pension he’s going to get. Any financial benefits should be frozen until the outcome of the investigation into the cover-up.”